Gaze
by Hawk Clowd
Summary: Every now and again, Hawkeye notices some interesting things. Shonen ai RoyEd.


**Fullmetal Alchemist:** Gaze  
Written by Ren and read (at gun point) by Sam (tirsynni). Roy/Ed, to a point, because they are my favorite FMA pairing (not to slight Ling/Ed at all, but come on. There's something kinky about fraternization). I suppose this has a maximum rating of PG-13 for some... suggestivity? _Word count: 804_

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As was fitting for her name, First Lieutenant Hawkeye tended to notice things. She didn't just notice normal things, like major breaches in protocol or (when she was off-duty) people who dressed in clothes that clashed terribly. Sometimes Hawkeye's little talent came in handy: her marksmanship was always spot on and she was always up to date on the latest intelligence. It was easy to read people when she noticed little things about them -- how they held themselves or their little gestures, and how those changed when they were nervous or lying. And then, of course, there were times when she cursed her eyes -- when she saw things she didn't want to see.

When Major Edward Elric stormed past her and into the Colonel's office, she didn't think too much about it. He seemed tense and excitable, but that was hardly unusual for the young alchemist. It didn't bother her at all when Alphonse lingered behind to wait and make small talk. Alphonse was easy-going and relaxed, and Hawkeye didn't find that unusual, either. She glanced over when the Colonel went to the door, smiled a bit, and shut it behind him, but she didn't give it a second thought. When she heard the door lock click, she simply assumed the Colonel and Fullmetal were discussing something confidential and were taking extra precautions so as not to be heard.

It was when the door opened twenty minutes later and the elder of the Elric brothers stepped out that Hawkeye realized she was half-right in her assumption and went on to damn her eyes.

Of course. She should have realized it before. Had she really been so blind? No, that wasn't it. They had been careful. The fights. The distance they kept. The furtive, secret glances... They had never stepped out of line -- or, if (when?) they had, at least not enough for anyone to suspect or pin something on them.

Edward spared her a nod but left quickly, Alphonse close on his heels. Edward was fixing himself as he walked, straightening his clothes and hair with every mismatched step and using the way people's eyes fell to Alphonse first, before him, to his advantage. He and Alphonse started up an inane conversation almost as soon as they were away from the Colonel's office. Careful. So very careful.

Hawkeye counted to fifty before she went into the Colonel's office. She tried not to make a show of looking around. Nothing seemed to be too terribly out of place. Books were neat on their shelves. Papers lay undisturbed on the desk. The Colonel righted a toppled penholder as she walked in and tucked a stray hair back into his styled coif. Nothing was out of order. (And why would there be? Edward was the one who kept company with chaos, and it usually left when he did.) Should she call him on it anyway? Fraternization was heavily discouraged, for one, and there were other... issues involved. Other problems. But they _had_ been careful, and... No. She should keep silent. The Colonel wasn't an idiot (or so she liked to believe, as he was her superior officer) and he knew what he was doing. He undoubtedly had his reasons. But, of course, there were --

"Yes, Lieutenant?" the Colonel asked.

Hawkeye saluted somewhat belatedly. "Sir. The Juillet Report --"

"It's finished," the Colonel interrupted. He gestured to a paper on the desk. "You can have it." He bowed his head back to his writing; Hawkeye tried not to notice his unusual attentiveness to the paperwork.

"Yes, sir."

There was a pause and the Colonel, when he noticed Hawkeye had not moved, looked up at her again. "Is there anything else?"

"No," Hawkeye said quietly. She collected the report and turned to leave. Then, as she reached the door, she stopped again. "Actually. Sir..."

"Hm?"

She didn't turn; if she looked at him now, there was the possibility she would see something else she didn't want to think too much about. "If you'll excuse my saying so... The next time Major Elric comes in for one of your confidential sessions, you may want to try and straighten him up before he leaves, in case it is not just Alphonse and myself waiting outside."

The Colonel was silent a moment as her words jarred in the room. Hawkeye risked a glance over her shoulder and saw him tense a moment, but then, quickly, he relaxed again. He laughed, just a little, and looked up at her. She saw a twinge of something -- fear? -- behind his eyes.

"Is it that obvious?" he asked.

Hawkeye shook her head. "No," she assured him. "It's not that obvious at all." That said, she stepped out of the office and shut the door behind her.

Damn her eyes.

**---end---**


End file.
